AHDC Conference 2025 | Session 4: The Future of Healthcare Education - Leanne Guy

Healthcare education is being reshaped by the realities of a technological future. As technology transforms how care is delivered, it is also redefining how—and where—health professionals are trained. Simulation, remote instruction and blended learning are now standard, replacing static, classroom-based models. Hospitals, once peripheral to formal education, are now key sites for learning. This shift is driving demand for integrated, flexible and digitally enabled teaching spaces—whether through new builds or adaptive reuse. From ward-based instruction to dedicated simulation centres, hospital environments must support a dynamic mix of practical, theoretical and collaborative learning. Future-proof, well-designed education spaces are essential to workforce development, service quality and long-term system sustainability. This presentation draws on a new, comprehensive research study involving interviews with 25 senior healthcare educators, clinicians and specialist architects from across Australia. It also includes an extensive literature review and case studies of innovative local and international exemplars. The session explores how pedagogical and technological change is shaping physical and digital learning environments, with a focus on flexibility, adaptability and integration within clinical settings. Copyright Australian Health Design Council www.aushdc.org.au / [email protected]